Thirteen Reasons Why

Let me start off by saying just how freaked out I am that Thirteen Reasons Why was the thirteenth book I’ve read in 2017. WHOA, right?

I’m going to run this review a little differently + give you some reasons why I loved this book.

1) Hannah Baker is a relatable teenage girl character. Please don’t take that the wrong way people. I do not by any means believe Hannah Baker is a role model for teenagers, I believe (sad to say) too many girls her age have gone through the same experiences she has and it’s important to never feel alone. To feel you can relate to someone and say hey, I’m not the first one this has happened too. That alone can be the start of help.

2) The topic of discussion in this book is obviously: suicide. Many people avoid the subject because it’s either too sad, it’s “pathetic and people do it seeking attention”, or they just can not fathom or be bothered to understand the selfishness of a human being. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, folks. If you know you’re reading a book with a topic you don’t like: don’t entertain the idea of even opening it. Leave it for the ones who will gain something from it. What could I possibly gain from this story? Well. Like your average teenage girl, suicide has crossed my mind during that time in my life. And guess why? Oh, I don’t know.. the same exact reasons Hannah decided to take her own life. A lot of others do not understand the severity of this problem, therefore a lot of the time it’s never taken seriously. I think it’s best this topic is talked about more. It needs to be an open discussion for teens, so again they know they are not alone.

3) The tapes. Oh my goodness, talk about uniqueness right? That’s exactly what caught my attention about this book. There are 13 tapes side A and side B ans if you’ve received them, I’m sorry. It means you are on these tapes and you’re finally getting called out on your bullshit! You are one of the reasons Hannah Baker has decided to opt out. Alright, some may argue the point that if Hannah went through so much torment, why would she do that to these others? Well, maybe the only way for some people to grasp the concept of being kind is to put them in your shoes completely. Although, Hannah didn’t do that to these 13. She didn’t expose them to the entire school. I mean, not unless you followed her rules.

4) The double POV. Through Hannah’s eyes, through Clay’s eyes. Now Clay isn’t as judgmental ad your average teenage kid. As the story gains momentum we see things on the side that Hannah tells us so how do we believe it? We see Clay’s side..which match up to her word. And nnnnot just that, everyone who has received the tapes is extremely bothered, worn out, etc. Innocence wouldn’t leave you so tattered, don’t you think?

5) Everything about this story is spot on. And by that, I mean how teenagers are in high school. Also just how seriously the schools actually take these type of situations. It hurts, it’s sad but it’s the truth. I remember being in high school and I could never forget how people treated each other. There were rumors spread about me, just like there were probabaly rumors spread about you. It’s not a feeling anyone enjoys. Jay Asher did a fantastic job capturing the truth.

I truly believe this book should be apart of the curriculum in high school. It opens your mind to think some things through, and I think that’s what kids need. Open their minds to consequential thinking before it becomes to late.